The Radavist

While we’re huge fans of restored, period-correct, catalog spec vintage mountain bikes over here at The Radavist, there’s something special about basket bikes made from 1980s and 1990s mountain bikes. Hell, it’s not that long ago that we saw Bailey send it on his Rocky Mountain or any of the countless basket bikes we’ve featured over the past fifteen years we’ve been publishing. I’ll always drool over a minty Potts, or my build projects like my Ritchey Tam or Mountain Goat, but there’s something immortal, heroic, and even godlike when it comes to a shreddy basket bike built upon a classic chassis. These bikes continuously live on…

When Alex came to town with his Bridgestone MB-1, we went on a ride here in town, and then, the following day, I photographed his bike. Let’s check it out in detail below!

This week’s Readers’ Rides photos are so sharp, we decided to share it as a full gallery. Hanson Little is an ex-pro BMX shredder and the hands behind Dark Realm Cycling, a brand that operates alongside his partner Vanessa’s Shop Realm. These two put out exceptional bags from their Austin, TX home. We’re featuring Hanson’s Crust Bikes Evasion Lite, a less-burly, lighter Evasion. This stripped-back version is quite the frame! Let’s look at it in detail below.

At first glance, you might see this bike and think “sheesh, another $8,000 commuter bike made by someone in Portland.” Rightfully so! This is a clean bike but Alex spent $500 on this Miyata before adding some crucial details to keep him rolling safe and comfortable on the streets of Los Angeles, to and from work…

The Crust Bikes Evasion is a production bike that set the bar for versatility in a production bike made overseas. Previously, this sort of frame was only tapped into by small, one-off framebuilding outfits, which can run a pretty penny and have long wait times. Wanting to address this market with affordable options, Matt from Crust Bikes has built his brand off of supporting the niche cycling world’s demands. Only thing is, what was once a small niche is now a substantial portion of the market’s interest and Crust Bikes has grown with it.

Take the Evasion for instance. A do-it-all dirt tourer, designed for the 26+ platform, but will also roll just as smooth on 27.5″ wheels and tires. As Matt from Crust describes the Evasion: “It’s a randonneur bike on steroids, “The Satanic Rando” if you will. Comfortable for the long haul, but fast and nimble, while still being ready for some pretty technical/rough riding; if that’s what the route throws your way.”

What a genius copywriter!

Hanson’s Evasion is raw steel, with a few coats of spraypaint clear, 27.5″ wheels, a 1x drivetrain, and loaded with his brand’s, Dark Realm, prototype bags. How else can you tell if your bags really work without putting them to the test? He races XC MTB races in Austin on this bike, does tours, dirt road rides, trail ripping, and straight up rips the rocky trails of Austin’s Greenbelt on this beast. An ex-pro BMX’r maybe he just feels more comfortable on a rigid bike?

As for the Dark Realm bags, keep an eye on their Webshop for new product drops, or hit him up on IG if you have a request.

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Follow Hanson on Instagram, Crust on Instagram, and follow Dark Realm on Instagram.